Nat. Catal.-Cu Catalysts for selective C-C coupling

By tuning the facet exposure on Cu foil through the metal ion battery cycling, selective C-C coupling was achieved with a highest C2+ Faradaic efficiency of over 60%, H2 below 20%, and a corresponding C2+ partial current density of more than 40 mA/cm2 (doi:10.1038/s41929-017-0009-x).

JACS-CELLULOSOMAL SCAFFOLDIN MECHANICS

The force induced unfolding behavior of all cohesins from the scaffoldin ScaA was successfully characterized by combining in vitro and in silico single-molecule force spectroscopy (DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b07574).

Angewandte-NIR Absorbing J-Aggregate

A new amphiphilic BF2-azadipyrromethene (aza-BODIPY) dye was synthesized and the formation of the J-aggregates with distinct near-infrared optical properties was investigated (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201701788).

Angewandte-Locking of Linear Peptides into Multicyclic Topologies

Precisely regulated and one-pot locking (PROP-Locking) of linear peptides into multicyclic topologies by a small phenyl molecule with four isosteric thiolate-reactive groups (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201702381).

CHEMMEDCHEM-Enantiospecific Synthesis of Oximidine II Analogues

NATURE ENERGY-SOLID OXYGEN BATTERY

A cobalt oxide confined nanolithia cathode allows charge and discharge without generating any gas molecules. This new material is also self-protected from overcharging by the cycling reaction of self-generated radical species (DOI:10.1038/nenergy.2016.111).

Nature Photonics-Phase-locked laser arrays

A new approach to laser design utilizing a conceptually novel phase-locking mechanism based on "antenna mutual coupling" where different laser elements interact with each other through far-field radiations with definite phase relations (doi:10.1038/nphoton.2016.104).

In this article, the authors studied the influence of disulfide bonds on protein dynamics through molecular dynamics simulations on the cysteine-rich trypsin inhibitor MCoTI-II. The disulfide bridges were shown to be able to bring together frustrated structure while still maintaining protein structural stability (DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.03.027).

Due to their high electrochemically active surface area, efficient one-dimensional charge transport and tunable doping, these Co-Ni based nanotubes/nanosheet hydroides and nitrides were found to be highly efficient water splitting electrocatalysts (DOI:10.1002/aenm.201670020).

In this Perspective, the authors highlighted the most recent progresses in DNA nanotechnology, including the fabrication of DNA nanostructures, DNA-based assembly of molecules and nanomaterials, and DNA-based nanofabrication and nanolithography (DOI:10.1021/acs.chemmater.5b04218).

ADV. MATER.-Energy Storage

A much larger voltage window and a higher energy density and specific power was achieved by utilizing the polyimides functionalized carbon nanotubes (DOI: 10.1002/adma.201670249).

Chemistry A European Journal-Calcium Copper Tetrasilicate

The first hydrothermal synthesis of CaCuSi4O10 as micron-scale clusters of thin platelets with morphologies different from those generated under salt-flux or solid-state conditions. The hydrothermal reaction conditions are found to be very specific: not too cold nor too warm (DOI: 10.1002/chem.201503364).

MARINE BACTERIA IN ARCTIC OCEAN

ANGEWANDTE-CONTROLLED ELECTROPOLYMERIZATION

Electrochemically controlled radical polymerization enabled the growth of ruthenium(II) vinylpolypyridyl complexes within the cavities of TiO2 films. The in situ prepared film is of potential for harvesting light in dye-sensitized solar cells and in dye-sensitized photoelectrosynthesis cells that operate in an aqueous environment (DOI: 10.1002/anie.201402309).

JPCC-NONLINEAR OPTICAL MICROSCOPY

This featured article highlights the advantages of using NLO imaging with phase-locked femtosecond laser pulses for single-structure examination with high spatial accuracy and temporal resolution (DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.5b02494).

CHEMICAL REVIEWS-NANOMEDICINE APPLICATIONS OF NMOFS AND NCPS

In this review article, the authors summarized the development of NMOFs/NCPs for biomedical applicatons, including the synthetic techniques, surface modifications, and their applications in drug delivery and therapy, imaging, and sensing (DOI:10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00125).

ADV. MATER.-POLYMER SOLAR CELLS

Just by tuning the 3D molecular structure of nonfullerene electron acceptors while keeping HOMO/LUMO energy levels constant, a dramatic variation of power conversion efficiency from 2.6% to 6.4% was achieved (DOI: 10.1002/adma.201500577).

PNAS-STIFFENING EFFECTS

The CGMD simulations revealed the primary cause of the dramatically increased stiffness of the Plasmodium falciparum-infected red blood cell-The deposition of nanoscale knobs rather than spectrin network remodeling (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1505584112).

NATURE-RINGS OF EXCEPTIONAL POINTS

The first experimental demonstration of a ring of exceptional points in a photonic crystal slab. This groundbreaking research could potentially lead to more powerful lasers, precise optical sensors, and other devices ( DOI:10.1038/nature14889).

NATURE METHODS-SINGLE MOLECULE CLUSTER ANALYSIS

Single Molecule Cluster Analysis technique which utillizes smFRET trajectories was used to dissect the conformational dynamics of a precursor mRNA during the splicing cycle as carried out by the spliceosome (DOI: 10.1038/nmeth.3602).